In my experience in Orlando at least there has been a push to preload the lines in order to bait people with express to use it right away where people used to reserve express until at least an hour in. But horror nights in general has become increasingly more about making sure volume pushes express sales. Personally I wouldn't buy a Halloween event for regular price or express if I could come up with no plan to get everything done in a night. The few times I have missed a house was by choice not staying until the end of the event although I have never gone past October 1st which even was much worse than a week earlier.
Are things much worse in September in Hollywood vs Orlando? From a time savings standpoint if I am getting this you pretty much have to go day night combo if not doing express because the early people get let in at the same time as stay and scream from the gates now? I know Orlando was around 5:30 for the first houses but the gates were let in around 6 to 630. Is Hollywood blocking the general tickets until 7 with this early entry option? If the early entry gets in when the houses open for stay and scream they are just essentially an earlier park open with the benefit of not having planned (try to be at the front) access to stay and scream. The value I have always found is being at the very front of the first house on stay and scream. If universal is letting people in for paid early entry at the gates but does not block general until 7 this is probably going to be worse than before,
Generally you can read between the lines on universal pricing though, If you do not buy express or the day night combo at a minimum you ban basically get bent.
Are things much worse in September in Hollywood vs Orlando? From a time savings standpoint if I am getting this you pretty much have to go day night combo if not doing express because the early people get let in at the same time as stay and scream from the gates now? I know Orlando was around 5:30 for the first houses but the gates were let in around 6 to 630. Is Hollywood blocking the general tickets until 7 with this early entry option? If the early entry gets in when the houses open for stay and scream they are just essentially an earlier park open with the benefit of not having planned (try to be at the front) access to stay and scream. The value I have always found is being at the very front of the first house on stay and scream. If universal is letting people in for paid early entry at the gates but does not block general until 7 this is probably going to be worse than before,
Generally you can read between the lines on universal pricing though, If you do not buy express or the day night combo at a minimum you ban basically get bent.
